I am getting sick of hearing games get qualified as "JRPG" or "Western Developed" or "Old-School." Role-playing elements exist in every genre now, from third-person action games to first-person shooters. Coming from someone who has been devoted to role-playing for more than 25 years of video gaming, I still love to see companies try new things, but too often critics categorize games andI am getting sick of hearing games get qualified as "JRPG" or "Western Developed" or "Old-School." Role-playing elements exist in every genre now, from third-person action games to first-person shooters. Coming from someone who has been devoted to role-playing for more than 25 years of video gaming, I still love to see companies try new things, but too often critics categorize games and belittle their finer points by forcing them into unecessary stereotypes. Japanese programmers often have a hand in developing Western titles, and likewise, American and European programmers are often brought in to assist on Eastern projects to make a game more appealing to the international market. Too much synergy and genre crossover occur in today's gaming market to call anything old-school or refer to them by national origin.

That being said, White Knight Chronicles II (along with the previous WKCs on PS3 and PSP) attempts to appeal to both Japanese and Western markets, with robust single-player and online multiplayer options that allow gamers to approach the game in whichever way they prefer. This effort does not succeed on all points - story sequences feel shallow and incoherent at times, with sub-par English voiceovers doing little to elevate the game's presentation, and MMO features sometimes feel tacked on. Still, the accomplishments that WKCII gets right serve as redeeming factors overall.

For years, I have looked for an RPG that brought many existing features together under one title - character creation, open-world exploration, a full day-night cycle, dynamic weather systems, seasonal changes, player housing, town construction, solo and multiplayer features, social elements, and branching storylines. While Mass Effect and Dragon Age do all of this except multiplayer, and Persona 3&4 contain their unique and refreshing take on many of these systems, practically no other games come close to completing this wish list of role-playing features. White Knight Chronicles II does not successfully integrate all of them either, but as you explore the massive world the game offers, it becomes evident that (despite shortcomings) the creators acknowledged all of the desires of RPG gamers and tried to deliver.

The graphics in WKCII are clean and at times gorgeous. Like the first game, GeoRama features allow you to build a custom town and recruit residents to improve its functionality, though the whole thing feels like a glorified online multiplayer lobby. Customization is extensive, from creating a player character and changing out equipment to creating your own combo attacks. Combat itself is improved over the first game, though it still needs work. Exploration is also well-rewarded, and the game world is fairly enormous. But my favorite tweek to the whole package is the day-night, weather, and seasonal changes. This is an immersive quality that is largely overlooked by developers (or simply left out for programming, budgeting, or deadline restraints), but seeing trees sway in the wind, hearing ambient noise, or having environmental shifts affect combat are really valuable for drawing a player into the game world. Also, since you often backtrack in RPGs, these environmental factors allow you to see familiar locales in unfamiliar states upon revisiting them, which adds to variety and replayability.

Overall, WKCII is worth the purchase, and in case you haven't played the first game, it's included in the North American release, complete with tweeks from the sequel retrofitted into the original. You can even carry your stats and equipment from one game to the other, which the online players will most definitely appreciate. I'm not claiming that this is the answer to all of your RPG dreams, but it is another step in Level-5's quest to bring all of the best RPG features into a single game. That's not an easy pursuit, but it is a process that I want to be a part of... and a goal that makes me respect any developer who tries for it.…Expand

Firstly, I am very tired of games being scored down for being Japanese. Some of the negative comments about this title are really cynical and misplaced. This is a pure JRPG that has obviously taken a huge amount of work to create. The graphics are very nice, the customisation is interesting and varied and the game is huge. As an added bonus, and one that deserves massive praise, they haveFirstly, I am very tired of games being scored down for being Japanese. Some of the negative comments about this title are really cynical and misplaced. This is a pure JRPG that has obviously taken a huge amount of work to create. The graphics are very nice, the customisation is interesting and varied and the game is huge. As an added bonus, and one that deserves massive praise, they have included the complete first game on the same disc, remastered and looking great. This represents great value for money as you get the whole story, well over 100 hours of play for the price of one game.

If you like JRPGs, then really do pick this up. Reviews of Japanese games cannot be trusted anymore as too many sites rely on advertising revenue from American companies. I can only assume there are strings attached to this income as American games can be utterly dire yet still score well.…Expand

awesome jrpg i loved the first one n the second is even better online n offline if you love jrpgs def a must buy n must play and dnt get stupid this is a jrpg thru n thru it doesnt try to appeal to western audiences lke ff13 did if u love jrpg pick it up now

this game is really GOOD!! if you liked the first game you will like this game too, the graphics are better the updates in the gameplay Definitely make correct the mistakes made in the first game,the same good amount of time of gameplay and do everything in the game,now you raise you guild rank level much more quickly and dont saty behind of others playing,new weapons( now the weapons dontthis game is really GOOD!! if you liked the first game you will like this game too, the graphics are better the updates in the gameplay Definitely make correct the mistakes made in the first game,the same good amount of time of gameplay and do everything in the game,now you raise you guild rank level much more quickly and dont saty behind of others playing,new weapons( now the weapons dont have penallity on VIT =) everything really good i just think that they could have change the chances to get some hard iten...they still whit itens that have 1 percent drop..that could be frustate sometines..and the history still practicly the same...anyway it dont stop the game to be one of the best choices of JRPG if you have the one you MUST have this one…Expand

I just don't get, this game isn't even popular and some people still feel the need to troll it, this game isn't perfect by any means, but a 0? that is just absured, i give this game a 8/10, i had to score 10 though to counters all those negative trolls.

This is a really good RPG. I was a fan of the first and this one has just gotten better. Must buy for any RPG fans. The amount of content in the game is very nice, and it does for sure have replay-ability. Combat is better then the first game with more options. This is a solid JRPG, and one of the few we have seen come to the states in the past few years.

Not because it has so little note ... the truth is that this game has a soundtrack impressive. History a bit bland. But not to put a 70. This very well and is entertaining. Maps a bit labyrinthine, but very pretty. The 1 was tremendous. 2 is the cane.

This is an enjoyable JRPG that has quite a few flaws that are overcome by its over all production values, content, and story. Coming from Level-5 I expected more but that is only because their previous games have been so stellar. Still even a lesser Level-5 game is a good time. Plus you get the original game here as well as the sequel so its a great great value.

I do love a heroic catastrophe, and in White Knight Chronicles II we have just that. A flimsy, playing to the market, narrative with some frankly stupid and bold game design choices to hold the whole thing together. The game is designed around letting you enjoy it, without necessarily trying to impress you. The first game, bundled in with the sequel at no added cost, boasted at least fortyI do love a heroic catastrophe, and in White Knight Chronicles II we have just that. A flimsy, playing to the market, narrative with some frankly stupid and bold game design choices to hold the whole thing together. The game is designed around letting you enjoy it, without necessarily trying to impress you. The first game, bundled in with the sequel at no added cost, boasted at least forty hours of things to do. The second, at least twice that. Playing through both you'll catch what I mean by designed to let you enjoy it. In the first game the so called mystical and rare knights of power are limited to four, and you only get to control two of them. Then in the sequel, everyone and your original (customisable) character can have one but for the cost of a side quest and a peculiar NPC. Take it or leave it, the single player will not be the making of this franchise. The online, however, will. Much like an MMO, the online lets you take your original character out of the world and out to vistas unknown. You can socialise, build and construct your own town, and embark on quests with up to six other players in later missions. (Possibly more, I haven't sank in that much time yet.) It's a spirited and thorough take on an RPG's online component, and one that is the shining star amongst the murk. So if you can tolerate the longest tutorial in gaming history and some rather obvious market decisions, this could be the find of the year for you.…Expand

Great! if you haven't play wkc1 before~Good! if you play wkc1 with this remaster version... that realise they are using the same map for wkc2this isn't wkc2, its just a wkc1.5AWESOME! if you can play online without d/c issue T.Tand thanks to the online pass bind to the PSN account, i need to create another PSN account....

Most modern gamers don't like any game with a turn-based element. Maybe it's the thought of thinking that scares them. White Knight Chronicles is one of the 5 best computer RPG's of all time and WKC2 is just as good. Typical rpg elements present in sequels are missing (most characters return from the original), but it does feel bigger and better. The gameplay is brilliant and designed toMost modern gamers don't like any game with a turn-based element. Maybe it's the thought of thinking that scares them. White Knight Chronicles is one of the 5 best computer RPG's of all time and WKC2 is just as good. Typical rpg elements present in sequels are missing (most characters return from the original), but it does feel bigger and better. The gameplay is brilliant and designed to make the player who just wants to kill or destroy everything quit and play something much that requires much less thought.…Expand

If you didn't play the first and you don't mind grinding, you can have fun with White Knight Chronicles 2, but I'd strongly advise that you play its predecessor if you're interested in knowing what's going on.

Hardcore WKC fans may be willing to pour hundreds of additional hours into this sequel, nay - expansion - but most will likely be turned off by the confusing story, niggling flaws and generally repetitive nature of the combat and questing.

The single-player story is cheesy fantasy schlock, and while the online mode has an array of decently designed multiplayer quests, it could stand some more structured goals and a stronger emphasis on cooperation. [Dec 2011, p.81]